Waste

Merseyside gets £90m recycling push

Wednesday 11 July 2007Recycling on Merseyside has been given a boost this week, with the announcement of a £90m PFI credit award for the region’s bold waste recovery plans.

The region already recycles 18.5% of it waste (2005/06), but under ambitious new targets it is aiming to increase this to 45% by 2020, while cutting its landfill usage by more than 60%. The PFI credits will assist Merseyside in meeting these goals by helping to create more household waste recycling centres, composting and waste separation facilities.

“Reducing our reliance on landfill is an essential part of the drive to tackle climate change. Merseyside’s scheme sets challenging targets, and I am pleased to see them make such an ambitious commitment,” commented Joan Ruddock, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Climate Change, Biodiversity and Waste. “PFI agreements like this one provide an incentive for local authorities and industry to work together to achieve our goals for cutting waste, reducing its environmental impact and making better use and reuse of the waste we create.”

“We are embarking on one of the biggest waste procurement projects in the country and this will help to significantly improve our region’s waste management facilities,” said Councillor Kevin Cluskey, Chairman of Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority.